Pneumatic tire and wheel assemblies

Abstract

A pneumatic tire and wheel assembly comprises an enclosing means for a lubricating material which releases the lubricating material into the tire when the tire becomes deflated. A counterbalancing mass counterbalances the mass of the enclosing means and the lubricating material so that when the lubricating material is released the assembly becomes out-of-balance, of which the following is a specification.

Having now described my invention, what I claim is: 
     
       1. A wheel comprising a well-base rim having positioned in said well at least one container for lubricating material provided with means for releasing the lubricating material, the container being located within an arc of the circumference of the wheel no greater than one third of the total circumference, the remainder of the well being sufficient to allow an associated tire to be fitted with said at least one container in position within the well and at least one tire bead retaining member for maintaining an associated tire bead in position against the flange of the wheel rim. 
     
     
       2. A wheel as claimed in claim 1 in which the container is formed integrally with the wheel and provided with replaceable means for releasing the lubricating material. 
     
     
       3. A wheel as claimed in claim 1 in which the means for releasing the lubricating material includes a frangible closure member in the container which is ruptured to release the lubricating material. 
     
     
       4. A wheel as claimed in claim 1 in which the container has an arcuate form in longitudinal section. 
     
     
       5. A wheel as claimed in claim 4 in which the inner curvature of the container matches the external curvature of the base of the well. 
     
     
       6. A wheel as claimed in claim 1 comprising a plurality of containers located within an arc of the circumference of the wheel less than one third of the total circumference of the wheel. 
     
     
       7. A wheel as claimed in claim 1 including a counterbalancing mass for the mass of the container and the lubricating material. 
     
     
       8. A wheel as claimed in claim 1 in which the tire bead retaining member is located diametrically opposite the enclosing means to maintain at least the laterally outer bead in position against a flange of the wheel rim. 
     
     
       9. A wheel as claimed in claim 1 in which the tire bead retaining member comprising a tongue movable between a tire fitting position which permits mounting of a tire on the wheel and a tire bead engaging position in which it maintains the tire bead in position against a flange of the wheel rim after the tire has been mounted on the wheel. 
     
     
       10. A pneumatic tire and wheel assembly capable of being run in a deflated condition comprising a wheel rim, a tire mounted on the wheel rim to define an inflation chamber, means for preventing the tire from being dislodged from the wheel rim when being run deflated, an enclosing means for lubricating material for the interior surfaces of the tire located in one circumferential sector of the tire, said enclosing means releasing lubricating material onto the interior surfaces of the tire when the assembly is used with the tire deflated to facilitate relative movement between contacting interior surfaces of the tire, and a counter-balancing mass located in an opposing circumferential sector which counter-balances the mass of the enclosing means and lubricating material in the assembly whereby on release of the lubricating material from the enclosing means the assembly becomes out of balance. 
     
     
       11. A pneumatic tire and wheel rim assembly as claimed in claim 10 in which the enclosing means has a frangible closure member which is ruptured to effect release of the lubricating material. 
     
     
       12. A pneumatic tire and wheel assembly as claimed in claim 10 in which the rim of the wheel has a well in which the enclosing means is located. 
     
     
       13. A pneumatic tire and wheel assembly as claimed in claim 12 in which the enclosing means comprises at least one container having an arcuate form in longitudinal section and dimensioned in cross section to fit into the well. 
     
     
       14. A pneumatic tire and wheel assembly as claimed in claim 13 in which the radially inner curvature of the container matches the external curvature of the base of the well. 
     
     
       15. A pneumatic tire and wheel assembly as claimed in claim 13 comprising a single container whose length is less than one third of the circumference of a circle having a radius corresponding to the radius of curvature of the radially inner arcuate surface of the container. 
     
     
       16. A pneumatic tire and wheel rim assembly as claimed in claim 13 comprising a plurality of containers located within an arc of the circumference of the wheel less than one third of the total circumference of the wheel. 
     
     
       17. A pneumatic tire and wheel rim assembly as claimed in claim 13 in which at least one container is formed integrally with the well of the wheel rim and provided with a replaceable lubricant release means. 
     
     
       18. A pneumatic tire and wheel rim assembly as claimed in claim 13 in which the means for preventing the tire from being dislodged from the wheel rim comprises a portion of at least one container extending radially outwardly beyond the well of the wheel rim to act as a spacer to prevent the tire beads from being displaced axially inwardly into the well. 
     
     
       19. A pneumatic tire and wheel rim assembly as claimed in claim 10 in which the means for preventing the tire from being dislodged from the wheel rim when being run deflated comprises at least one tire bead retaining member for maintaining a tire bead in position against a flange of the wheel rim. 
     
     
       20. A pneumatic tire and wheel rim assembly as claimed in claim 19 in which the tire bead retaining member is located diametrically opposite the enclosing means to maintain at least the laterally outer bead in position against a flange of the wheel rim. 
     
     
       21. A pneumatic tire and wheel rim assembly as claimed in claim 19 in which the tire bead retaining member comprises a tongue movable between a tire fitting position which permits mounting of a tire on the wheel rim and a tire bead engaging position in which it maintains the tire bead in position against a flange of the wheel rim after the tire has been mounted on the wheel rim.